St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-03-17
PROHIBITION IN MICHIGAN.
BY FRANK LITTLE.

| BY FRANK LITTLE.
know not whether you have any
exchanges from Michigan and there
fore am moved to give you brief out
line of the situation in reference to the
liquor traffic and that prOhibitory
amendment to the constitution is now
awaiting adoption or rejection by the
people at the coming spring election,
the first Monday in April.
Some years ago a prohibitory stat
ute was enacted and remained stand
ing for several years but there was
never any general real honest effort to
enforce it, and it fell into decay and
utter fOrgetfulness. Gov. Bagley, the
great tobacconist of Detroit, sometime
| think in 1874, recommended in his
message to the Legislature the repeal
of the prohibitory law and the adOp-
ton of tax or license system, and
such action was then taken and since
that time liquor has been sold legally
under license procured by payment
of a special tax. But scattered all
through the state were quite a number
of influential respectable citizens who
did not bow down to Baal and few
years since they organized prOhibi-
ton party, which, although small and
insignificant at the outset, has steadily
gained strength, and at the last cleo
On-gubernatOrial-i November last,
pOlled upwards of 10000 votes. The
republican party in the state was put
in jeopardy by defectiOns and deser-
tions to the prohibition party. How
ever, they were between two, and
they dared not insert a prOhibitOry
plank in their platform. The state
canvass was hot one all around, and
there was much acrimOny and "mud
singing" on the part of the republican
managers against the poor despised
prohibitiOnists, who were declared to
be pestilent mischief makers, who, if
they kept up their nefarious work,
would in IL very short time utterly dis
rupt and destroy the best political par
ty that the sun ever shOne upon. The
election was close, exceeding close,
but when the returns were all in, it
was found that the republicans had
carried the state and had a good work
ing majority in the legislature.
Soon after the organization of the
legislature and election of u. S. sena-
tor, in January last, very suddenly,
unexpectedly, without petition, re-
quest or desire manifested on the part
of prOhibitiOnists or the rest of man
kind republican member offered a
resolution, and draft of section of
amendment to be submitted to the peO
pie for adoption at the polls. 1t was
hurried through both houses without
debate, and passed receiving the votes
of nearly all the republican members.
The prOhibitiOnists were more than
surprised, they were stunned. They
were not ready for it. Public senti-
ment was not ripe enough. 1t was
mean political trick to steal their
thunder aud crowd the issue suddenly
upon the people, hoping and believing
that the people would reject it. I'm
dOubtedly the real motive of the sub
mission on the part of the Legislature
was to appease clamOr and stag de-
sertiOns. The republican and demo-
cratic organs both declare that it is
not, and must not be made a party
question and the Legislature declare
they have done their full duty in sub
hitting the amendment to the people;
still it is easy to see that the republi-
can is in a strait, for, if the amend
ment is lost, the temperance republi-
cans will quite likely go over in body
to the prOhibitionists and that gives
the state into the hands of the demOc
racy.
Republican newspapers are not TAX
ing sides, and will scarcely open their
columns to communications upon the
subject. The prOhibitiOnists who were
at first so dumfounded have rallied to
the support of the amendment and are
now putting in systematic, efficient
work over the state, with gratifying
prospect of success.
need scarcely say, that | am for
the amendment, body and soul, and
shall hope to be of some service in Sc
curing its adoption. The 'EGrange Wis
itOr," an agricultural, home and fire.
side journal published at COldwater,
Mich, under the auspices and as the
official organ of the state grange has
wide circulation in all the rural dis
tricts of the state. The editor having
given carte blanche, and
"opened his columns" [ have unblush
ingly spread myself over nearly all of
his available space for this present
month. This | deem every way supe-
rior to an attempt to harangue beg
carly array of empty benches in a
country school house by the light of Il
tallOw dip.
have thus attempted to outline the
origin and present condition of the
war upon whiskey in Michigan. What
does the CaledOnian think about it